A Daughter's Tale
by Jemima123
Summary: Hans Gruber never wanted a daughter. Katherine never wanted a father like Gruber but unfortunatley we cannot pick out parents.
1. Chapter 1

"Miss Gruber you're father is here" shouted the headmistress as I heaved my luggage from my room. I groaned inwardly at her command but regardless of my reluctance, I continued to descend the stairs to the German. As I walked down the large staircase I caught sight of my father who was stood nearest the door, his back turned to the staircase. When I neared the bottom, only then did he turn around and look at me. I wheeled my case over to him and he nodded when I stood still.

"Katherine" he greeted and leaned in to place a kiss on my cheek in a formal manner.

"Father" I replied and he nodded at a black man to take my case.

"Come" father said and he opened the door of the all girls' boarding school. It felt nice to be in the open air for once. I waited for father to leave the entrance hallway before walking off behind the man trailing my case.

"So you have finished completely now?" father checked as he walked along side me with his hands behind his back.

"Yes father." I replied.

"I should assume you have good grades in your subjects" he said and I nodded once again.

"I have eight A*-B grades father" I told him and he smiled vaguely in approval. As we walked to the limo I wondered what was to happen to me now. I had spent all of my life since I was five at boarding school, here in London. I rarely went home to Germany to visit my father and so I did not have a distinct accent. Father had no desire to see me and now that I had finished school I knew what was to happen. I had heard father speaking with another German man about how I would marry when I was of age. Find a wealthy man to look after me so I was not a burden to him. It was times like these when I wished I had known my mother. I had no idea who she was even though I had asked father once. He told me that my mother did not agree with what he did for a living and that she left him but died when I was born. He failed to mention how she was killed and I did not feel an urge to press him further on the matter.

We had reached the limo and the man opened the door for me to climb into. He smirked as I climbed in and then he opened the door for my father. Once inside I looked out of the window, not wanting to speak with my father or make eye contact with anyone.

"Theo" father snapped "Do you have the tickets?"

"Yeah. I got them" Theo said and my father nodded in satisfaction.

"What tickets father?" I asked him and he smirked his classic smirk.

"Tickets to America, Katherine. We have a job over there" father told me and I understood perfectly. A job meant that he was planning an ingenious evil plan. I knew that my father robbed people and he was someone you didn't want to cross, truth be told, he scared me, after all he was Hans Gruber. I wished that I had a father to have a proper relationship with. I often wondered if he was my father. I looked nothing like him. I had long and wavy red hair and a small nose and lips. We were nothing alike, only the eyes were similar. The drive to the airport was long and painful, no one in the limo spoke and I was too scared to move in case it was wrong. When we arrived at the airport my father jumped out the limo and I climbed out, not waiting for the man to open the door. The man went to the boot and pulled my case out, along with a duffel bag. Obviously we weren't to stay too long in America, judging by the side of the bag it only contained one of my father's many expensive suits. I followed them into the airport sheepishly. When we pulled up at the check-in desk the man leaned forward and I caught a glimpse at his passport which showed the name Theo. Than the bags were going onto the conveyer belt and we were walking along once again. Once we had passed security we had a long wait for the plane.

"I shall return in a moment father" I said and I made my way into the bathroom. I only went because I had to get away from him for a moment. He was cold and I couldn't take it any longer. I splashed cold water onto my face and smoothed out my white summer dress before walking out the bathroom straight into Theo. I yelped in surprise and Theo smirked.

"Scare easily?" he asked and I began to walk towards my father.

"Did he send you to check on me?" I asked him, not making eye contact.

"I cannot tell you that" Theo said and I took my seat next to my father. Eventually we were called to board the plane and once on it I felt myself begin to shake. I hated flying. Being thousands of feet high in the air is not natural. My father saw me begin to shake and he gabbed my chin and turned my head to face him.

"I did not know you was scared of flying" he observed and released my chin.

"I don't like heights...but you wouldn't know that" I snapped and I wished I had been able to hold my tongue due to his menacing glare.

"Katherine Eliza Gruber. Do not speak to me like that" he ordered.

"Sorry father" I apologised and the plane began to move down the runway.

...

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	2. Chapter 2

The plane ride over to America was one of the worst I have experienced. The plane constantly travelled over water and then we experienced turbulence which is not good for those of us who are already scared of planes. I did not speak to my father on the journey after he had snapped at me, instead he sat there reading The Times and I attempted to entertain myself by daydreaming about being somewhere else, just not here. Theo was sat behind us and I could hear him faintly snoring along with the other people. When the pilot finally announced we were to land I breathed a sigh of relief. It would not be long to go until we arrived in America. When we had grabbed all the luggage we walked out of the LA airport and onto the street. Father stood there and watched the oncoming traffic as Theo caught up. I stood next to my father, shivering slightly. I did not think it would be this cold, but, I had been living inside for the last four months due to revision and so I had not dressed properly for winter. Father didn't seem to notice and instead he stood there staring at me intently. His gaze made me avoid eye contact and look away from his direction. I didn't know what his problem was, well I did, and it was obviously me. When Theo was stood next to father I saw a silver car pull up and out jumped an extraordinarily large man with long blonde hair.

"Karl" father greeted and the blonde smirked. He then turned his eyes onto me and my father looked down at me as if he had forgotten I was here.

"Oh, this is my daughter, Katherine" he gestured to me and the blonde just blatantly ignored my father's introduction. I had no idea who any of these people were and they made me feel uncomfortable, even my own father made me feel uncomfortable. Theo once again opened the door for me and I climbed in, father sat in front of me and Karl drove, so I was left with Theo who seemed to be less menacing. I did not speak as we drove off down to a hotel near the large Nakatomi Plaza. I had seen the building on the TV and knew that it was quite something. I saw my father's lips rise into a smile as we passed it and I wondered why but I did not ask him anything about it. When we got to the hotel Theo went to check in and Karl took the cases to the elevator.

"We're in room 643 on the 23rd floor" Theo told father who nodded. When we got to the room I found that it was not too bad, it was reasonably large and there were two single beds along with a sofa. I stood hesitantly at the doorway, not quite sure if I should advance into the room. The three men made their selves at home with Theo opening the mini fridge, Karl flicking onto the news station and father sat on the sofa with a paper.

"Katherine, please do not continue to stand there and gawp, it is most unladylike" father instructed me and so I took a seat in the armchair by the sofa.

"The party is still tomorrow night" Karl told my father who smirked.

"Good. I trust it is all in place Theo?" father asked him and Theo nodded before swigging his drink.

I sat there in confusion. I had no idea what father was going to do, but it didn't seem to be a good thing.

"What is happening tomorrow father?" I asked him and he turned his gaze onto me. No one spoke and the three terrorists just looked at me, Karl with a raised brow, Theo with a smirk and father...well...I had no idea what my father thought about me.

"We plan to rob the Nakatomi Plaza" father said simply and then turned back to his paper. I said nothing but two seconds later father snapped his paper shut and shouted at Karl and Theo in German who then quickly left the hotel room. Father leaned forward on the sofa and looked at me.

"Katherine, tomorrow night you shall be coming with us to the Plaza, but you shall remain out of my way and I do not want to hear a peep from you all night. Understand?" he snapped at me.

"I understand father" I quickly spoke and he nodded before standing up and straightening out his tie.

"I know we are not close Katherine but I have done everything for you. I have provided you with a decent education, all the clothes you have wanted, everything. Know this, I did not have to do all this for you but I did. I took you in and saved you from an orphanage where you surely would have perished if I decided not to look after you. Your mother was a waste of space and I saved you from turning into her, I allow you to uphold the Gruber name, even though whenever I look at you I cannot help but see her, I often wonder if you are my daughter."

I remained seated listening to my father not quite believing what he was saying to me. I knew he did not want me but never has he told me like this. He never spoke about my mother and so I was shocked when he said I reminded him of her.

"I am grateful father, for all that you have done" I told him and he bared his teeth in a smile of disbelief.

"I have found a wealthy German man for you to marry when you turn eighteen, so until then you remain in my care" father told me and I had to blink back the tears.

"Yes father" I said and he went over to look out the window.

"Get some sleep Katherine. Tomorrow shall be a long day I should imagine" father instructed me and I went over to one of the single beds and tried to sleep, not even bothering to change out of my clothes. I felt silent tears roll down my cheeks and allowed them to guide me to sleep with the thought of running away from him and my arranged future.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day was Christmas Eve. I awoke early and when I looked around the room I saw only the top of Theo's head. Moaning to myself I got up and Theo heard the creaking of the bed and turned around in his seat.

"Good morning Sleeping Beauty" he said and I stood up and stretched.

"Where's my father?" I asked him and he glanced at his watch.

"He left an hour ago to make some preparation's for tonight" he told me and I nodded.

"I'm going for a shower" I told him and he put his thumbs up. I chuckled to myself and began to find out some clean clothes. I choose a pair of jeans with black sweater before making my way into the bathroom. Once inside I checked there were towels and then began to un change. I allowed the warm water to take over and I sighed. I didn't want to go tonight, surely it would be extremely dangerous, the money in the Plaza would surely be tightly locked away and so I had no idea how they planned to rob it. When I washed my hair I towel dried it before stepping out of the shower and then into clean clothes. Father's voice came from the main room and then he knocked on the bathroom door as I began to brush my hair.

"Yes" I shouted and he opened the door into the steaming room.

"I have to go out again Katherine for a few hours, in the meantime I expect you to do what Karl says and do not create a noise" he told me and I nodded before he left to leave the room. Karl. Great. My hair was as dry as it could be and so I decided to make my way into the room and sure enough Theo had gone and now Karl was sat there. Maybe I could make an escape. It couldn't be that difficult to slip past him, and besides he looked as though he would fall asleep any moment. I decided to wait and so I opened my case up again and pulled a book from it. I sat in the same armchair I had occupied the previous night and began to read. An hour later and Karl had fallen asleep. I silently put the book down and walked hesitantly towards the door. As I opened it I heard it creak and then I began to panic. Karl stirred in his sleep and then I decided to run, allowing the door to bang shut. I had no idea where I was going and it wasn't until a few seconds later when I heard someone speak in German from behind me. I risked a quick glance at him and then I found the end of the corridor and the stairs. I took them quickly but not quick enough because I felt a hand grab onto my arm. Karl heaved me back up the stairs and pinned me against the wall near the door.

"Let go of me!" I struggled against him and he chuckled in my ear.

"And why would I do that?" he asked and I felt something go around my hands.

"Get off!" I shouted to him as I struggled to get out of the rope he was putting around my hands. Karl laughed and pushed me harder against the wall.

"Ow!" I yelped in pain as my head made contact with the concrete.

"Shut up" Karl whispered harshly and I felt something press into my waist. I looked down and saw a gun pressed into my skin. Karl yanked me by the arm and began to drag me back down the corridor and into the hotel room. Once we were inside he flung me onto the bed and looked down.

"Won't Hans be happy to know that his ungrateful daughter tried to escape" Karl chuckled and I gritted my teeth.

"My father doesn't care about me. Why don't you just let me go?" I screeched at him and then I felt him hit me straight across the face.

"You little bitch!" Karl yelled at me and I cowered up onto the bed and back against the headboard.

"You wait until I tell Hans" he threatened and went to sit down on the sofa. I leaned against the headboard and felt the stinging of my cheek. What had I done? I knew I was in big trouble and now I had no way to escape. Half an hour later my father stepped into the room but before he could advance any further inside Karl took him back outside. I heard them whispering in German and knew that I was finished now. When my father came back into the room he looked at me with pure disgust.

"Did anything I told you yesterday not sink into your little brain?" he asked me and I tried to get out of the ropes. I looked down in fear and father stormed over to the bed and lifted my chin so I was staring into his eyes.

"You ever pull a stunt like that again and you will regret it" he threatened me "the Gruber name is one which brings respect and I will not have you ruin that"

Father pushed my chin away and walked over to Karl and began to speak in German. Karl then came over to me and untied the ropes; he then grabbed me by the arm and passed me over to my father.

"When we get to the building you will not show us up and you will stay by my side all the time." Father snapped at me and I nodded not wanting to annoy him anymore. He dragged me from the hotel room and then outside and into a black van. Father had put on his grey coat and I was now beginning to worry about what was about to happen at the Plaza, I had heard about some of his previous attacks and knew that he took no prisoners.


	4. Chapter 4

There were others in the van. Twelve of them in total. I stayed with my father not because I felt safest there but because I knew him more than any of the other terrorists. When we got into the garage of the building I began to hyperventilate. I didn't want to be here at all. When the van stopped half of the terrorists got out first, followed by my father who was grabbing my arm. We walked to the elevator and once inside the terrorists began to check their guns. Father remained stood still with a smaller gun in his hand. When the elevator dinged I looked out onto a lot of people who were smiling and laughing, this was the party. And then the gunfire started. I heard loud screams come from the large room and then father began to walk towards the people and he stood there and looked down on them.

"Please remain calm" father shouted and then the screaming died down. Father handed me over to another terrorist whose hand went around my wrist. Father then advanced into the party and began to speak to some people, telling them things about their own lives which he had learned. Eventually he stopped and found a man named Joseph Takagi. He led Mr, Takagi from the room of the party and into a quiet office.

"Now Mr. Takagi I expect you know the code for the lock of the vault?" father asked him when he was seated, I was stood behind my father's shoulder, looking onto the man who was smiling even in this situation.

"I know the code but you can't really expect me to tell you" he chuckled and I groaned to myself. He should just tell them, he didn't know who he was messing with.

"I shall count to three Mr. Takagi" my father said and he pointed the gun at the man who was still smiling but in a sense of disbelief.

"One" father started and the man and shook his head.

"Two" father continued.

After what seemed forever he said three and then the man simply said:

"You'll have to kill me before I give you the code"

"Okay" father said and he shot him in the head as if it was the easiest thing to do. I put my hands over my mouth to stifle a scream and looked away from the pool of blood. I couldn't believe he found it that simple to kill someone. To take away a life like that. Father stood up and grabbed me by the arm.

"Get off of me!" I snapped at him as he dragged me through the room "let go!"

"Trust me Katherine I have no intention of letting you leave. It has started now and you are a part of this!" he snapped and I began to cry.

"Shut up you stupid girl!" father snapped and now we were back out in where all of the people from the party were. Father ordered the terrorists to fire the gun to create calmness again and this time he told them what had happened. They all shrieked in terror which prompted another gunshot. Father then went into an office which belonged to a Ms. Gennaro. Once he was sat at the desk he pulled out a radio and told Theo to break the locks.

"Yo boss! I can get to the seventh lock but have no idea how to break that one" Theo replied from the radio.

"I shall handle the last lock" father said and began to speak in German to some of the other terrorists. I took a seat in front of the desk and looked around the office. It was nice and reasonably large but it felt like a prison. Father removed his coat and placed it on the back of the chair, he then stared at me and suddenly a voice came over the radio. Father picked the radio up and listened intently into it. There was a voice which told him that the guard had been killed. I looked at him in disgust.

"You killed an innocent guard?" I asked him and he rolled his eyes at me.

"You always were dramatic Katherine. This is why your mother was killed" he said and I looked at him intently.

"My mother was killed?" I asked him and he chuckled.

"Yes...she discovered about what I did and didn't like it. She could have blabbed to anyone available and so she was killed after she had you...I didn't realise I had gotten her pregnant and was distraught. I had hoped for a son to continue the Gruber name and be like me but no, instead your mother once again disappointed and gave me a girl" he told me and I stood up in shock. He had killed her.

"You killed my mother?" I checked and he smirked.

"Sit down Katherine. It is all in the past" he waved his hand but I wouldn't sit down. I didn't think he had killed her...but then he found it so easy to kill and so why not kill mother. I hated him more than ever. Father stood up and grabbed my arm.

"Get off me!" I snapped and he slapped me. Father hadn't hurt me ever during my life. I quickly lifted my head and looked him straight in the eyes. Father took me to the window and forced me to look outside. At one point I thought he may throw out of it.

"You see this Katherine?" he said pointing outside, his hands on my arms, holding me in place "I have sheltered you from all the horrible things which occur out there for the sixteen years of your life, your mother was one of the horrible things out there and I got rid of her."

Father spun me quickly in his arms so that his face a mere inch from mine.

"I find you a decent man to marry and you repay me like this?" he asked me and I quit with him.

"Let go of me" I begged him more than ordered. I just wanted to get away from him.

"Now I expect you to act as a daughter should. You will sit back down and respect me" he ordered and pushed me back into the chair. I looked down at my entwined hands and wished I could escape him. I hated him with such passion. As the time ticked by another voice came onto the radio but this one was asking for help from the police. Father and some other terrorists listened intently and I smiled. Someone was in this building and working against them. Maybe there was hope.

"Who is this?" father asked over the radio and an American man answered.

"I'm not sure I should tell you that Hans" he replied and my father looked at the terrorists next to him.

"Go find him" he told them and they left the room behind Karl.

"Do you really think you stand a chance against us Mr. Cowboy?" Father asked and laughter came from the other end of the radio.

"Why not? I already have some detonators" he said and the colour drained from my father's face.

"Really?" father checked and once again the man laughed.

"Worried now aren't you Hans, you and you're little girl?"

My father looked at me and I stared straight back at him. How did he know us? I didn't quite understand.

"My daughter is none of your concern" father eventually said "she is not with us"

"Sure, sure Hans. Whatever you say" the American said without belief. I stood up from my seat and snatched the radio from his grasp.

"Sir this Katherine Gruber, I would like you to know that I have no part in this idiotic plan and am here against my will" I told him and father snatched the radio back from me.

"Well Hans, she certainly hates you" the 'cowboy' laughed and I sat still, watching my father. He made no response to what he had just said. Did he know I hated him? Or...was I really being ungrateful. Father had given me everything I had wanted and even though we weren't close I had no desire to change that...I had never wanted to know him. I had longed for a proper relationship but knew he would never give me one and so I stopped waiting. He had looked after me...I didn't know what to think. The other end of the radio went dead due to gunshots and then a woman walked in. She was medium height with bushy hair. She stood next to me and looked at me.

"Are you part of this?" she asked me and father looked up from some paperwork.

"I don't believe you are in any position to be talking to her" he snapped and the woman went quiet.

"Well, I am here to know if we could have a sofa, there is a pregnant woman and her back aches from sitting on that rock" the woman asked.

"What idiot put you in charge?" father snapped at her and I rolled my eyes. Talk about arrogance.

"You did when you murdered my boss" the woman retorted and father looked her over once.

"A sofa shall be brought out to you" father said and shouted to one of the terrorists at the door.

"And unless you want a mess maybe you should start sending us to the bathrooms in packs" she added.

"Fine" father said and waved a hand to dismiss her. I took a seat opposite my father again and held my head in my hands. I failed to believe that he had killed her...she was my mother. I began to feel light headed and so I plucked up the courage to speak to my father:

"Father, is it possible for me to have a drink...please?" I asked him and he looked over at me with a kinder expression on his face.

"I shall fetch you one" father said and he stood up slowly and left me alone in the room. Alone in there. After he had left I quickly stood up and made my way to the unguarded door before running down the corridor.

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	5. Chapter 5

I ran through a long corridor and down some stairs, figuring it would be best to stay out of elevators due to the fact they are slow and you are more likely to run into unwanted people. I came to a room which looked as though it had suffered an earthquake and then I heard someone talking.

"She has gone" came a muffled voice which sounded like my father's from- I assume- a radio.

"I have seen no sign of her up here" a German accent replied and I pressed myself up against the wall in a hope that the terrorist wouldn't see me.

"I want you to check everywhere. Understand?" father yelled and the terrorist said he understood perfectly. I began to slide down the wall as I heard footsteps come closer. As I went down the wall I bumped into something hard and I slowly looked up to see the face of a tall, well built man. He slowly lifted his finger to his mouth, indicating I should remain quiet. I did as he said as he slowly progressed into the room and then I heard gunfire. I hastily put my hands over my head and crouched down, avoiding flying bullets. Twenty seconds later the man reappeared and he grabbed my arm roughly and pulled me up.

"Who are you?" he asked and I snapped my arm from his grasp, I was tired of being pulled around today.

"You first" I told him and he just smirked.

"I'm the cowboy" he said and I snorted.

"I'm Katherine. Katherine Gruber" I said and he nodded.

"Well Miss Gruber, if you don't mind I think I shall take you hostage" he said and I shrugged.

"Why not? It's not like my father cares" I told him and began to walk off towards another room. We sat down against the glass and then there came a large banging sound. It shook the whole building and we turned to stare out the glass. There was fire coming from the lower end of the building. The cowboy quickly picked his radio from his pocket and began to speak loudly to someone at the other end about not sending a SWAT team in. He then went to my father.

"Hans, you son of bitch leave them alone!" he shouted and I listened intently.

"I'll bare your command in mind Mr. Mystery Guest" he said and the man banged on the thick glass.

"I'm sorry for this" he apologised and then went back to the radio.

"Hans, I have your daughter, pull back now or I hurt her" and then he slapped me across the face and I gasped in pain.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't hurt her" father said from the over end of the radio. I grasped my cheek and the man mouthed sorry again.

"Why would I do that?" the cowboy asked my father who chuckled.

"Because she is _my_ daughter" Hans said protectively and then another voice came on the radio and it went quiet.

"Protective, isn't he?" the cowboy smirked and began to walk away. I followed him and thought about what father had just said. He said I was his daughter but that couldn't be because he cared for me. It would mainly be because he was controlling. Only he was allowed control over my life and the thought of someone else having it was unbearable.

"Excuse me Mr. Cowboy...but what exactly are you planning on doing? I mean if they catch me then the worst that would happen is my father yelling at me...but you are in real danger" I told him and he looked down at me.

"Well Miss Gruber, I don't plan on letting them take me alive so I foresee no problem...You have to be one of the most understanding hostages there is. Why don't you go back to your father?" he asked me.

"Where do you want me to start?" I asked and he smirked.

"How about telling me what he did wrong?" he suggested and I took an intake of breath.

"He murdered my mother, sent me to boarding school in London, he never wanted me and now he intends to marry me to some rich German" I told him and he laughed.

"What's so funny?" I asked and he pushed me into another room.

"Well...nothing really...did he really never care for you?" he asked and I nodded my head.

"I'm a burden to him" I said simply and the radio came back on.

"Mr. Intruder...are you there?" my father asked and the cowboy pressed the radio.

"Yeah...I'm here" he said and my father chuckled.

"Do you still have my daughter?" he checked and he handed the radio to me.

"I'm here father" I said simply and passed it back.

"Good...there is someone here who would like to speak with you" father said.

"Hey John" came a male American voice and the man who was apparently called John shook his head.

"Ellis you idiot. What did you tell them?" John snapped.

"McClane come on...they just want the detonators and his daughter...no big one" Ellis chuckled and McClane banged his fists on the wall.

"Look Ellis they're going to kill you. Hans don't do this to him, he's not as smart as you..."McClane begged my father.

"Whoa John...what you talking about buddy...I've known you so long and now..." Ellis said.

"Hans I only met him tonight!" McClane yelled and I heard my father chuckle.

"Give us the detonators or we kill him" father offered and McClane shook his head.

"No...I can't do that..." he said and then there was a gunshot.

"Hans you bastard!" he yelled.

"Let me speak with Katherine. Now" Hans commanded and McClane once again passed me the radio.

"Father" I said into the radio.

"Katherine Eliza Gruber, I don't know what you are playing at running away, you are my daughter and I didn't expect such childish behaviour from you." Father scolded me and now I knew I was in deep trouble.

"I am sorry father" I said. I didn't want to make him angry at a time like this.

"Mr. McClane, if you could please release my daughter then I shall not have to kill any hostages" father told him and McClane looked unpleased.

"Fine." John reluctantly told my father.

"Good, now bring her up to the elevator on the roof" he instructed and then said nothing else.

"Come on" McClane told me and grabbed my upper arm, leading me up to the roof. I sighed and knew that this was the only thing to do. I didn't want anyone else to die. As John led me through the corridors he stopped before we reached the elevator.

"I can't go in there or they may shoot me...so it was nice knowing you kid." John said and I nodded realising that if he actually went in there then he was dead.

"Goodbye Mr. McClane" I said and spun on my heel and went to stand by the elevator. I looked around and couldn't see anyone, but then Karl stepped out from the shadows accompanied by two other terrorists.

"Where is McClane?" Karl snapped at me and I shook my head.

"He's gone..." I told him and he came forward.

"If you're lying to us Miss Gruber..." he threatened me and I shook my head again in fear of the tall burly blonde.

"I'm not lying" I assured them and they nodded.

"Fine" Karl said harshly and grabbed me around the wrist, he dragged me into the elevator, flanked by the other two guards and we went down to the floor of the party. There were still hostages in the main area; they were all looking worried and tired. Karl dragged me back into the office where my father was sat in the leather chair, looking down onto a paper. Karl sat me in the chair opposite father and still he did not look up at me.

"Nice of you to join us" father said and I looked down at my entwined hands in my lap.

"Nothing to say?" he asked and stood up with the paper in his hand. I remained quiet and he chuckled darkly.

"You are out of my control Katherine. I thought that sending you to a boarding school would discipline you but I am evidentially wrong. I...don't know what to do with you" he said and slammed the paper back onto the desk. I sat there and felt a tear fall down my cheek.

"I am sorry father..." I said but he walked around to my chair and knelt down, leaning on the arm of the chair.

"There are places Katherine where I could send you...a mental institution...or maybe you would prefer to live on the streets? What will it be? Hm?" he pressed me and I looked into his eyes. I didn't want anything like that...but I didn't want to be with him...

"I'm sorry father, please, don't..." I sobbed and he smiled evilly.

"What? You want an easy life? You want me to continue buying you everything? Looking after you?" he asked me and I nodded.

"I know I have been ungrateful...I'm sorry father, please don't kick me out...I will do everything you ask..." I begged him and he smiled in satisfaction.

"Fine...but you will respect me as a daughter should. Understand me?" he checked and I nodded. Father stood up and murmured something in German before leaving the room. I remained sat in the chair, looking out of the window, not daring to look at the terrorist who was guarding the room. I knew I was a coward but I would prefer to be a coward then dead.


	6. Chapter 6

Father was gone for around forty five minutes and when he came back he was not happy at all, in fact he looked as though he was happy to kill anyone. The terrorist on the door asked him something in German and he looked at him with hatred.

"That idiot McClane" he snapped and the terrorist nodded. Father then took a seat behind the desk and pulled the radio out from his pocket.

"Theo, how is it coming along?" he asked and a crackling sound came from the other end of the radio.

"Nearly at the last lock" Theo replied and father nodded.

"It is time" he said and went back to the radio.

"This is Hans Gruber" he said into the radio and a few seconds later the radio answered again.

"FBI here Mr. Gruber" came man's voice.

"Listen carefully, I want the following men freed..." and then he began to list some names off, once pausing and saying that he read about one from Times magazine. I remained sat still, not wanting to anger him at a time like this. I knew what I had done was cowardly...I had given into him once and for all. I wanted to run away badly but if I did I was positive he would hunt me down and kill me. But then he had threatened to send to me to mental institution. I couldn't handle any of that. After a few more minutes he told the FBI he wanted a helicopter to LA airport in exchange for hostages.

"I want all the hostages up on the roof now!" father snapped at the terrorist who ran to where they were. He stood up and turned to the TV screen which had been muted, there was two children who were begging for their mummy to come home. I didn't think that was anything bad but father's face turned into one of utter disbelief and he picked up a photo and looked at it. It was the woman who had come in earlier and if the report was true then she was McClanes wife. And because we were in her room with her photos then she should be named Holly Gennaro. Father stormed out the office and went to grab this woman who came struggling back into the room.

"Get off me" she snapped at father who flung her into the chair next to mine.

"You are McClanes wife?" he asked and she nodded.

"Where are you taking them?" Holly asked father.

"To their death. Be grateful you aren't with them" he told her and she sighed in horror.

"Move now" father told her and she pointed his gun at her, Holly stood quickly and father grabbed my arm harshly and then we began to make our way down the building. When we got down to the vault I saw that Theo was stood there, clapping to himself and then when father saw all of the money his face lit up. There was another terrorist stood smiling at the money.

"Theo, start taking it" he told him and he saluted before grabbing the cases of money.

"So you're not terrorists, you're thieves!" Holly shouted and father just looked at her.

"I would remain quiet if I was you Ms. Gennaro." Father threatened her and I just stood there. Watching him carry all of this money. When Theo had gathered it all he went down to the car park.

"I should imagine the roof has exploded by now." Father said as he checked his watch. Just then I saw a shadow appear from the corridor and I looked down to see him. McClane was covered in blood and his clothes were all covered in ash. Father noticed I was staring at something and he stood beside me, pulling Holly out of the shadows with a gun at her forehead.

"It's over Gruber" McClane said and father laughed.

"That is true McClane" father replied and the gun made a clicking sound.

"Let her go Gruber" McClane said "And I will give myself over"

"Oh Mr. McClane I had no idea you were so weak"

"I'm not. I'm normal" he said and father laughed again.

"Normal is for underachievers." He said and then McClane fired his gun at the other terrorist, as I watched this I barely noticed McClane run to my father and push him. I quickly whipped around to hear the shattering of glass, Holly was leaning out of the window whilst McClane was holding her around her waist. I couldn't see father anywhere and then I ran over to the window and saw him hanging onto Holly's watch. McClanes hand went down to her wrist and I realised what he was going to do.

"No!" I shouted "Please don't!"

McClane turned his gaze onto me and I could feel myself crying for the safety of this monster.

"Why not?" McClane asked me and a lump caught in my throat.

"He's my father...please" I begged him and McClanes hand grabbed onto my father's wrist. Holly leant back and fell to the floor; I leaned out the window and helped to haul him back into the room. Why didn't I let him fall? I couldn't truthfully say. All I knew was that I didn't want to watch him die. When father was sat on the floor he gasped for air and looked up at me. I can't explain it but his stare was different from all the previous times he had gazed at me. He almost looked thankful. Father slowly stood up and turned his gaze to McClane.

"You should have let me fall" he smirked. He was smirking. How?

"Well be thankful you have a daughter like her" McClane said and he looked at me with mixed emotions.

"I told you McClane. You're weak" he said and then father quickly produced a gun from his trouser pocket and he shot McClane. Holly fell to her husband's side and father bared his teeth in a smile.

"Come. Now!" father ordered me and grabbed my upper arm. I stumbled behind him, looking at a bleeding McClane and a weeping Holly.

"How could you? He saved you!" I shouted at him as we went into the car park. The van we were supposed to escape from contained an unconscious Theo and there was a black limo next to it. Father pulled out his gun and pointed it at the man who was emerging from the limo.

"Whoa! Mate...look..." the limo driver held his hands up but father ignored his pleas and shot him in the forehead. I screamed in fear and father dragged me to the van where the money was. He looked in and saw that Theo had been knocked out stone cold. Father opened up the driver's side and flung me in, sitting in between an unconscious Theo and a mad man.

"What are you doing?" I screeched and father began to drive the van towards the exit which was barricaded off by a metal gate. I could feel my eyes widen in fear as he approached the gate, thinking that the impact would slowly end up killing us, but to my surprise the van easily rammed through it and we went straight out onto the road. I looked around and saw crews of cameras and FBI but we were no where near them, they were all too focused on the buidling which was on fire.

"You killed him...you killed him..."I sobbed, I was unable to believe what he had done. McClane had saved his life and he repaid him by shooting him down. And then there was that driver, he was just sat in the limo, sure he had tried to stop Theo but he did not deserve death, he just did what any descent person would have done.

"Stop your crying Katherine" father told me and I tried to stop my sniffling.

"Why did you do it...?" I managed to ask him as Theo began to stir next to me.

"Because I would have gone to jail again if McClane lived...I don't want to go back. I look out for myself" father told me honestly and as he said that I wished I could escape him from the confinement of the van.

"But...you could have died...he saved you..." I said and father chuckled.

"No...he would have let me fall, it was only because you persuaded him to pull me back up is why I am still alive...you Katherine Eliza Gruber are the cause of McClanes death" he said and I began to tug on my belt.

"No...don't you dare blame any of this on me! You were the one with the gun! You killed him!" I shouted and began to hit his arm. Father stopped the van on the side of the road and turned to face me.

"I have had enough of you Katherine! I have told you before what I will do to you! You have no idea how much worse I could make your life!" he hissed and I could feel the spit from his mouth on my cheek due to our close proximity.

"I have to get out!" I said and I began to climb over Theo but I felt his hand go around my waist and pull me back to him.

"You are going nowhere" he snapped in my ear and I felt his gun on my side. I could feel his chest heaving and then he readjusted me to sit back in the middle of the seat.

"I do not want to hurt you Katherine but if you go against my orders then I may have to do just that" he snapped, still pressing the gun into my skin.

"Theo!" father shouted to the man who was slowly gaining consciousness.

"Hm...what? Did we do it?" Theo asked him in a daze.

"Yes...we did. Hold this and if she even tries to move then shoot her" father said and handed the gun to Theo who took it with confusion filling his face.

"O-kay" Theo said and twisted the gun.

"Where are we going?" Theo asked father who had begun to drive again.

"Back to Germany" father said and I groaned.

...

So please read and review and I will not be updating for two weeks because I am off on holiday for two weeks again. But it would be nice to have a few reviews when I come back if you please :D Then I will update a lot more :)


	7. Chapter 7

We ended up going back to Germany, somehow father managed to get us a flight from the airport. Apparently, he knew someone who owned a private jet and could easily get us past security with the sixty million dollars. The flight back to Germany was long and tedious and neither I nor my father spoke. Theo occasionally said something which was responded with a nod or a shake of the head from father. As soon as the plane landed Theo grabbed the money and began to leave the plane. Once the doors had opened I saw that there were two men stood in black suits similar to fathers and they were looking at us from besides a long black car.

"Hans" a tall man with short black hair said and shook father's hand. I stood silently, not wanting to do anything wrong. The other man then shook father's hand and they looked over at me.

"This is your daughter?" they asked with a German accent.

"Yes, this is Katherine" father said and looked down at me. The man with black hair smirked and I wondered what was so amusing.

"Edward shall be happy. She is like she is in the photo" the man said and I raised a quizzical brow. Father pursed his lips at me but something told me I should remain quiet for the time being. Father nodded in agreement with the man and then he slid into the car. I followed and then Theo sat beside's me. The two men went into the front of the car and then I turned to father.

"Who is Edward?" I asked him and he finally gave me eye contact.

"Your fiancé" father stated and then I dropped his gaze. I could feel his eyes still trained on me and I suppressed a tear. My fiancé. But I had two more years before the deal would be sealed, there was still time to find a way out...to leave father and have a good life. The drive to wherever we were going was long and tiresome. It wasn't long before I felt myself beginning to doze off no matter how much I willed myself to stay awake. The next thing I felt was father whispering my name harshly and only then did I awake. Father gave me a disapproving look and then slid from the car. When I followed I felt my feet plant into stones, I looked up and onto a mansion. It was old but it had an aura about it. I couldn't deny that it was impressive and beautiful. I followed father and Theo up to the house and we came to a lobby where a tall man stood. He had short brown hair and prominent facial features, he appeared to be in his late twenty's to early thirties. He smiled at Theo and then shook hands with father. I stood there, just staring at him. He smirked at me and then took my hand and placed it to his lips.

"Miss Gruber I presume?" he said and I nodded.

"I am Edward. Edward Schnifer" he introduced himself and I felt my heart sink.

It was a joke. He was years older than me. But then what did I expect? I couldn't truly think that he would choose someone my age that would be rich...but he wasn't someone who I could live with. His touch on my hand was cold on my skin and his lips rough. His eyes were intense and somewhat too lingering. Even though I only knew him for a few seconds I had come to the conclusion that I hated him.

"You really are beautiful Miss Gruber" he said to me and I felt bile rise in my throat.

"Thank you Mr. Schnifer" I said and looked at the floor.

"I have to say Hans you have caused quite a commotion on the news...that cop you shot survived and told the FBI all about you and Miss Katherine" Edward told father who smirked. I inwardly sighed with relief at hearing that McClane was alright but Theo whistled.

"Anyway. I presume you are tired and so I shall show to your rooms" Edward said with a clap of his hands and then he began to walk up the stairs.

"You shall have your own bathrooms also...Theo this is for you" he said as we walked down a corridor and he pointed to a door. Theo saluted and walked in.

"Hans, on your left" he said and father nodded. He looked at me for one final time before departing and leaving me alone with him. As we walked down the corridor I could feel the silence growing between us. When he stopped he opened the door and walked into the room. With a lot of hesitance I followed him into the grandly decorated room.

"Please, take a seat" he indicated to a plus rose coloured armchair which I perched onto. Edward stood in the middle of the room and looked at me.

"Now, Miss Gruber. I understand that there is two more years until our wedding but in the meantime I shall expect you to act like my fiancée should. When we are married I expect you to produce me an heir within a year. Do you understand me?" he said and I nodded. Edward smiled, baring his yellow teeth and then he left. I sat in that chair for a few more hours. I sat there crying.


	8. Chapter 8

I awoke the next morning with a complete headache from my large amount of crying which I had done the night before. I was slumped on the large four poster bed, still in my own clothes even though there were new pyjamas and clothes laid out for me on top of a dresser. When I sat up I looked around the room in a hope that this was not real. Unfortunately I was awake and in the real world. My mind whirled around everything which had happened recently, from becoming the daughter of a man who had stolen a heck of a lot of cash to finding out that I am to marry a man who looks twice my age. Unbelievable. I stood up slowly and made my way over to the door, as I opened it up I realised that I had no idea where I would go after entering the corridor, but as I stepped out I noticed father was leaning against the wall opposite me.

"I thought I heard you move in there" he stated and I shut the door to my room.

"I only just woke up" I told him and he took in my reflection and pursed his lips.

"I can see that. No matter. I have someone who I would like you to meet" he said and I groaned inwardly. Father had no one who _I_ would like to meet. As I followed him back down the corridors we went into a large dining room where a boy was sat. He must have been eighteen at most and had blonde short hair and blue eyes. He was tall and lanky and when he stood up he tripped over the table leg. I could feel the annoyance radiating from my father as we watched this boy stumble over to us.

"Mr Gruber" the boy said and extended his hand to my father, who- with reluctance- took it.

"Katherine this is Tom. Tom Fitzgerald. He shall be looking over you for the next two years before you are married. Due to the fact that myself and Edward are very busy men and we have no time to look after you." Father explained and I snorted. I was to be spied on. Excellent.

"If you don't mind father, I think I will go and lie down now" I said and father nodded. I spun on my heel and began to leave the room. I then heard father yell at Tom.

"I am paying you to do your job and stick to her like glue. Evidentially you are failing to do so at this moment in time" he snapped and then I heard footsteps catch up with me.

"I'm not going to make your job hard so don't panic" I assured him as he walked alongside me. Tom looked down at me and seemed to believe me. As we walked back up the stairs I began interrogating him.

"You don't sound German to me" I observed and he shrugged.

"Half German. Father is German and mother was an Australian who lived in England" he told me.

"Was?" I asked noticing he had used the past tense with his mother but not his father.

"She died last year. So I was sent to live with my father in Germany...he...works here you see. I have started in the family business" he said and I smirked.

"By family business do you mean you are a robber in training?" I asked him and he smiled a little as we came to my room.

"I guess you could say that..." he said as I opened my door.

I walked into the room and started going through the new clothes which were on the dresser and I soon settled on jeans and a large vest top and cardigan. Tom was sat on the armchair I had occupied the previous night and so I went into the bathroom change. Once I had finished and brushed my hair I went back out to sit on my bed.

"So...what can I exactly do in this place?" I asked.

"Well there is a private bit of beach at the front but it is a little too cold to go outside. Or there is a library next to the games room or an indoor pool" he said. I sighed inwardly. Not much to keep me occupied for two years.

"Look Tom, you seem nice and all but is this really the job for you? You seem too nice" I stated and he looked up at me.

"I have no choice. Either stay or die. I'm like you" he said "and besides I don't think it is that bad what they do. They rob people who have plenty of money. It's not like they need it"

"But they kill people as well" I said and folded my arms.

"They only kill those who un-cooperate" he counteracted and then I realised he was like them. Just more deluded and pleasanter but he was still like them.

"Well I'm off to the library" I told him and stood up. He did the same and began to lead me to the grand room with its vast collection of books from all different genres. I chose one and began to read. As I read I began to feel my eyes drop and then I saw it. A drinks cabinet next to a shelf. I looked up at Tom who had just begun to snore and so I quietly snuck back to the cabinet and looked for a full bottle. Once I had found one I left library with the drink hidden in my cardigan and I began to run back to my room. The trip was successful and then once I was in I locked the door to my room and admired the bottle. Apparently I was about to lose my troubles to vodka. I opened up the bottle and smelt it. And then I drank. I drank because alcohol was supposed to numb feelings. It was supposed to make you happy and take away your problems and that was what I was in need of. After half an hour of slowly drinking it I began to feel dizzy, but I kept going. It wasn't until I was three quarters of the way down when my door started to rattle.

"Katherine! Let me in! You said you wasn't going to make my life difficult" Tom told me and I wiped my mouth.

"That was before I realised you were a prick" I shouted back and the door began to rattle again which made me giggle.

"Katherine please let me in" he said and now I was howling with laughter.

"I shan't" I replied and took another swig. Then he stopped shaking my door and I climbed from the floor and towards the door. As I crawled towards it I felt giddy and when I pressed my ear to the door only then did it fling open and hit me in the head.

"Ow!" I yelled as I fell onto my face. I heard the door slam and then someone grabbed onto my waist.

"Been drinking Miss Gruber?" my _fiancé_ asked me, his breath tickling in my ear. I didn't respond to him and I felt him chuckle deeply before he spun me around and slammed into the wall.

"Did I not make myself clear yesterday? You will soon be my wife and I do not expect you to act like this!" he shouted in my face as his hands gripped my wrists.

"I'm sorry..." I sobbed and Edward loosened his grip on me until I began to cry like a little baby. He pushed me onto the floor in disgust.

"Tom! Clean this mess up!" he instructed the new recruit. Before he shut the door he looked down on me again, I thought he was going to say something but instead he just turned and walked away down the corridor. Tom knelt by my side and he took the bottle away from me and then just stared.

"I didn't know you were engaged to Mr. Schnifer" he stated and began to pull me up from the floor.

"It seems that you're not an exclusive member to this club Tommy boy" I said, not surprised that Tom had little information on me.

"Can you be engaged if you don't have a ring to prove it?" I asked him as he gently sat me on the bed.

"It would seem so" he said and I began to cry harder. I saw Tom look around the room, obviously he was not quite sure what to do with a crying teenage girl. After a few hesitant seconds he sat next to me said nothing.

"I wonder what Mr. Gruber will say" he pondered and I smacked him on the arm.

"Ah! What was that for?" he asked me.

"You're supposed to cheer me up! Not make me more depressed!" I snapped.

"How was I to know?" he retorted and I rolled my eyes. Obviously he had learnt a lot about emotions from father's group. That was don't have any.


	9. Chapter 9

For the rest of the night I attempted to sleep but couldn't due to the fact that I wanted to vomit every two minutes. Tom stayed with me and just watched as I tossed and turned in bed, it was around two in the morning when the door opened and in walked my father, still dressed in his suit. He spoke something in German and then Tom stood and left. Obviously he had learnt German unlike me. I sat up as father walked into the room with his hands behind his back. He sighed once and turned his dark eyes onto me.

"I'm disappointed in you Katherine. I had never expected you to behave like this...a drunken lush. It's an embarrassment and Edward did not know what to think when he came to me about it" he told me.

"Is it any wonder I drank? Do you really not know what you're doing to me? You're killing me slowly!" I yelled at him and stood up, glaring at him with hatred. Father stared at me in fury and I looked away from him.

"I am quite sure that we have had this conversation before Katherine. I have told you that I could make your life much worse than this and you declined that offer, in fact, I remember you sat in that chair begging me to forgive you and I did. You really are an ungrateful child" he said, his voice only went a little higher than before in anger.

"I'm not ungrateful! I feel like crap...you never wanted me so why didn't you get rid of me along with mother? It would be much better than marrying a man who is twice my age!" I yelled at him and he strode across the room and grasped my arm, he pushed me against the wall and then I saw the shiny object which he was holding in his hand.

"You would prefer death Katherine? Well that can easily be arranged" he said and he pressed the gun into my side. I felt tears streaming down my cheeks and I began to sniff.

"You want to die Katherine?" he asked, his cold breath coming into my ear as the gun pressed harder into my skin. I didn't respond to him.

"Answer me!" he yelled in my ear and my sobs became louder, echoing in the room and coming back to me. My head was spinning from the alcohol and now the stress of this conversation.

"You're a naive little girl Katherine. I suggest you behave how you are supposed to" he said and took the gun from my side before allowing me to fall to the floor. Once I was on the ground I ran a hand through my red hair so it came out of my face and then I looked up at father who was straightening out his jacket.

"I hate you" I whispered and he looked down at me and then chuckled.

"I've known that for years Katherine" he said and spun around and left the room. When the door was shut I began to sob harder and my head fell into my hands as I curled into a ball and leaned against the wall. A few minutes later the door opened to show the blonde hair of Tom. I only glanced at him for a second and went back to my sobbing. I felt a breeze as Tom sat down next to me and then he spoke.

"Are you okay?" he asked and I laughed in disbelief.

"Okay, maybe that wasn't a sensible question. I heard you shouting from outside..." he trailed off.

"Yeah" I said, waiting for him to ask me some more questions.

"Your mum's dead?" he asked me and I nodded.

"Did your father kill her...?" he asked, he must have heard the conversation.

"Yes...he killed her for disagreeing with what he did for a living" I told him and he shook his head in a look of disbelief at what he was hearing.

"Would he really have killed you?" Tom asked and he sounded concerned, it was almost like he cared.

"I don't know...I would like to think he wouldn't have but I don't know. Am I really ungrateful Tom? He's paid for my education and everything I have wanted but...I didn't think I was ungrateful...I just wanted him to love me..." I put him on the spot and he ran a hand through his blonde hair and then looked at me.

"I don't think you are...I think you have had a life where you are not in control of anything...I didn't know you were to marry Mr. Schnifer though. I gather it is an arranged marriage?" he said and I nodded.

"I don't want to marry him. Father and Edward arranged it for me" I said and he shook his head.

"I didn't know they still did that...I thought arranged marriages stopped a long time ago...I had no idea how violent they could be, I mean hearing you with your father just now made me realise that maybe you were right about these people..." he said and I chuckled half heartedly. At least someone else saw that what they did was wrong.

"I thought that they just robbed people and killed those who interfered but they don't. They just hurt anyone regardless of consequences. I don't know if I should stay here..." he said and stood up. I stood with him and grabbed his arm.

"No...please don't leave me here with them...please...if you go then they'll find you and kill you. It's like you said; you either join or die." I begged him to see sense and stay. Mainly because I thought he was the only sane person here who I could talk with.

"You want me to stay?" he asked and I nodded.

"Even though yesterday you wondered if I should be here?" he checked again and I nodded.

"I like you Tom...you seem nice enough and I don't want to be left with them...Edward...my father...I can't handle them..." I pleaded and he nodded.

"Fine. I'll stay. But you have to promise to behave this time. I don't want any trouble" he warned and I nodded ferociously.

"I promise" I said and he nodded. Satisfied.

"Go to sleep...you look like you need it" he said and I crawled back into bed, comforted with a thought of someone I could like in this place.


	10. Chapter 10

The months seemed to fly by for me. I did as I was told and when I was told so I stayed out of trouble. There wasn't a second which passed by when I didn't long to escape the big mansion. In April I had reached my seventeenth birthday which as per usual was not celebrated. Father bought me another necklace like he did every year. Edward didn't forget- unfortunately. He bought me a bracelet and then kissed me. And it was a proper kiss which made me want to vomit afterwards. However the one person who had surprised me the most was Tom. He had bought me a Jane Austen book. He noticed that the library didn't own a copy of 'Mansfield Park' and so he took it on himself to buy me a copy which I read in a few days. One morning in May I asked Tom if we could go and sit on the private bit of beach which the mansion owned and he accepted. It was cloudy and windy and the sea was extremely choppy. I plonked myself down on the sand and began to throw pebbles into the sea. Tom sat next to me and gazed into the ocean.

"What business has been going on recently?" I asked him. We had become quite close during the months which had passed by and sometimes I could have sworn I had feelings for him which went deeper than friendship but I had to tell myself not to be silly. I was engaged, and besides, if anything did happen it would get him in trouble and that was never good.

"Your father has told Edward that he doesn't wish to do another job for a few years. He has 30 million from when he robbed the Nakatomi Plaza and Theo said he will do another job even though he still has 30 million left. Oh. And you're uncle has joined them now." He told me. I had nothing to do with my uncle. Simon Gruber was as bad as father and I had no wish to get to know him and it seemed he didn't long for a relationship with me.

"I imagine Edward has a job lined up" I said, hoping that I did not sound bitter.

"Yes...next week. He plans to go to England and rob the Bank of England. Once again posing as terrorists."

I nodded, hoping that he may get caught but deep down I knew that would never happen. Unfortunately he wasn't that dumb. We continued to sit there and stare into the ocean until I heard a voice come from behind us.

"And may I ask what you two are doing out here?" father asked. Like normal he was dressed in his suit and had a coat on to protect him from the breeze.

"I just felt like some fresh air" I told him and he nodded. Tom and I stood up and faced father who looked angry. I hadn't done anything I shouldn't have recently...I didn't think I had anyway.

"Tom...please go back inside. I shall deliver Katherine back" he told Tom who gave a wary look at me and then turned to go back into the mansion.

"Yes father?" I asked him, wrapping my open coat around me.

"I know what is going on between you two" father said and I raised a brow at him. Nothing was going on between us, regardless of me wishing something was.

"Nothing is happening father" I told him and I began to walk past him but he was fast and grabbed my arm before I could go any further.

"I've seen how you look at him Katherine. If you don't stop this dreaming than Edward will soon notice and that is the last thing you want" father warned me and I looked into his eyes.

"It doesn't matter because nothing is happening with us" I said honestly and he seemed to believe me.

"As long as it stays that way. I don't want you in trouble with him Katherine" he said and I rolled my eyes.

"Don't. It almost sounds like you care" I told him, not wanting him to start caring now.

"Katherine" he said threateningly and I sighed.

"Sorry father" I apologised and he nodded with satisfaction.

"I'll take you back to Tom" he said and released my arm and we walked back in silence towards the house. Tom was stood in the conservatory which we had left from and he nodded when he saw me. Father left the two of us and then I began to make my way up to my room with Tom on my trail.

"What did he want?" he asked me and I put a finger over my mouth to silence him. You never knew who was listening in this house. Anyone could listen into a conversation which you didn't want to be made public. Once we were back in my room I sat in the armchair and looked at his questioning face.

"He thinks that we're in love" I told him and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Well that's ridiculous" he laughed nervously and I did the same.

"Yes...that's what I thought. Ridiculous" I lied and he nodded as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Why would they think that? I mean, I only spend every day with a beautiful intelligent girl" he said and I gasped. He couldn't have just said that. This must be a dream.

"Yes, I only spend every day with a rather handsome and kind boy" I replied and he laughed again.

"Exactly. No chemistry at all" he said and I nodded and then he walked over to me and placed his hands on either sides of my arms and looked down at me. And then he kissed me.


	11. Chapter 11

He was kissing me. He was stood in my room and kissing me. It was supposed to be happy but I couldn't feel happy. I knew it was wrong. Hell, it was so wrong. But I liked the way he held me and comforted me...I didn't want it to end. After a minute I had to push him away. Tom looked down at me and then away, but then he smacked the wall with his fists.

"Tom..." I began and started to walk over to him but he held a hand up and rested his head on the wall almost in defeat.

"I shouldn't have done that...I apologise" he said turning around to face me and tears began to form in my eyes.

"Tom...we can't...you'll get into trouble..." I sobbed and he nodded.

"And you would get into trouble too...I don't want that...My God you're engaged" he said and began to pace as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Tom I'm so sorry" I cried and fell onto my bed and buried my head in my hands. I felt the bed go down and I turned to see him staring at me, and then he draped his arm over my shoulders and I turned to cry into his chest.

"Katherine...shh...it will be alright. I promise" he said and I sniffed.

"It won't...I don't want to marry him...I want you Tom" I said and he held me closer.

"I know Katherine and believe me I wish we could be together" he said and I raised my head up.

"It's too dangerous" I said and tried to stifle my sobs.

"I'm beginning not to care if it's too dangerous or not. I have to wonder why it is dangerous due to the fact that we are always alone in this house all the time...we have a year until you marry him. Why not enjoy that year?" he asked and I began to wonder if he was talking sense.

"But if we're caught..." I trailed off not daring to think of the consequences.

"That wouldn't happen" he promised and I agreed to his proposal.

...

The next few months were difficult. Father didn't seem to notice me and Tom sharing smiles at the dinner table and all Edward did was leer over me which was quite vile. Before I knew it I found Christmas approaching and then I found out the exact date of the wedding. April 16th. A day after my birthday. How romantic. The preparations for the wedding was carried out by a wedding planner who Edward had paid, neither he or I wanted to plan the wedding. He didn't want to do it because it took up too much time and I didn't care. All we had to do was show up for the fittings. By March I already had my dress sorted and one night I showed Tom it.

"Ready?" I said from my bathroom and I heard him chuckle.

"Yes" he said and I walked out in it. He smiled at me and then his smile vanished from his face and I admired myself in the mirror. I didn't think it was that bad.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked, straightening the material out and fluffing up the underskirt. I turned back around to look at his emotionless face.

"It's beautiful. You're beautiful" he said and he stood up and kissed me on the cheek.

"I'd best go take it off. Wouldn't want to damage something father bought me" I said and went back into the bathroom.

"You're father bought it?" he asked from my bedroom where he was leaning on the wall next to the bathroom door.

"Yes, he said he should buy something for the wedding and so he chose the dress" I replied and I painfully got out of its puffiness and back into my sweat pants and vest top. I hung it back up and opened the bathroom door again. I placed it back into my wardrobe and saw that Tom was sat on my bed and reading the blurb of the book which I was currently reading.

"Wuthering Heights. Again?" he asked and I reached over for the book but he held it away from me and I sat next to him and then he brought it back to his eyesight.

"Undoubtedly, one of the most romantic books of our time..." he quoted the review on the blurb and I reached out for it again but he held it away and strained his eyes to read more of the reviews.

"A classic...enough to make a girl swoon..." he said and this time I grabbed it from him.

"I wasn't finished reading that" he said and pushed me onto the bed. I began to laugh as Tom clambered on top of me and reached for the book which I held above my head.

"Well...if you aren't willing to cooperate than I will have to tickle you to death!" he said and he began to tickle me beneath my ribs.

"No! Tom! Stop" I laughed, smacking his hands away from me. Finally he chuckled and leaned down to kiss me. I dropped the book from my hand and began to wrap my hands around his neck and pull him closer to deepen the kiss.

"And what do we have here?" a voice asked and Tom slowly clambered off me and stood up. I took a deep breath and sat up on the side of the bed before standing on the opposite side of the bed of Tom and then I looked into father's eyes.

"Father..." I began but he raised a hand to stop me.

"I have suspected this was happening for a while but for some stupid reason I thought you were clever enough not to allow this to happen Katherine. And you Tom. I thought you would have realised that she is taken." Father said and he looked over at Tom.

"I'm sorry sir..." Tom said, looking down at the floor.

"You will be. Go down to my office now" he said and then Tom left.

"You shall not speak of this to anyone. I do not want this wedding to be ruined just because of some stupid teenage girl crush" father said.

"It's not a crush! I love him! He loves me!" I shouted and father rolled his eyes.

"You shall stay in your room until the wedding as punishment. Understand?" he barked and I nodded. It was no use arguing with him. He always won.

"Now. I shall go deal with Tom" father said and began to turn around.

"What are you going to do to him?" I asked nervously and father chuckled.

"Just say that you are lucky to be stuck in your room for a few months" he said and then he shut my door and locked it. I ran over to the door and began to hit it.

"Don't hurt him! Leave him alone! Father please! Please don't hurt him! Let me out!" I yelled as I slammed my fists against the door. But no one came.


	12. Chapter 12

Father was true to his word. He kept me locked away in my room up until April 14th when he made me attend the wedding rehearsal. I didn't see anymore of Tom after that night and father would never tell me where he was. Edward still didn't know about what had happened, it seemed that father was excellent at keeping secrets. On April 16th I awoke with a stomach ache. It was the day. Father came in to wake me up and he pressed a box into my hand.

"What is it?" I yawned as I sat up and tossed it around.

"Your engagement ring." He stated and I opened it up. It was a beautiful ring. Diamond of course but gorgeous nevertheless.

"Someone shall be coming to do your hair shortly. I suggest you get up" he told me and I did so. I changed into sweatpants and a normal white T-shirt. The effort it took to do my hair wasn't worth it. They had allowed it to hang naturally with a flower in it and it was curled but I felt horrible. Two years had seemed to fly past so quickly and I wished I could rewind the clock and go back and do things differently. I wished I had died in the Nakatomi Plaza along with the hostages...but then I would never have met Tom. When everyone had left me I noticed that my door had not been locked. I didn't leave my room. Realising it would be a wasted effort. It wasn't until a few hours later when it opened again and that was when I saw him. Tom.

"You're alive" I gasped and flung my arms around him. He did the same but then he dropped me.

"I need to speak with you. Not here though. Too many people listening in" he said and I nodded, allowing him to take me by the hand and drag me through the corridors of the mansion, hiding around corners from people until we were outside on the beach. He walked all the way over to the ocean's edge and looked at me.

"How did you get into the mansion?" I asked, standing a few feet away from him.

"I...um...snuck in the back way. I had to see you before you got married" he told me and I could have sworn my heart sunk. He hadn't come here to rescue me from this.

"Oh, well. I am fine. How are you?" I asked and he shrugged.

"Getting by. Your father gave me money to leave and not to see you again and not to mention us to Edward" he said and I nodded.

"Well you're taking a big risk by being here. I should go back and get ready" I said, bitterness filling my voice. He chose money over me.

"Katherine" he groaned and grabbed my arm to stop me from going inside. The wind was surely blowing my curls out but that was not the problem. The problem was him.

"I had no choice. He would have fired me anyway and then I wouldn't be able to see you and I would have no money" he said and I shrugged.

"It's nice to know what comes first in your mind" I said and tried to get out from his grasp.

"I still love you Katherine...but I..." he said.

"But what? You love money more? You took money and said you would never see me again! And here I was, foolishly hoping that you had come here today to try to save me from this. Maybe you would take me away from him and love me. It is apparent that I am mistaken" I sobbed and tried smacking him on the chest.

"It's too dangerous" he said and I shrieked.

"You told me all those months ago that you didn't care about the danger! Did you ever love me!" I shouted at him.

"I loved you Katherine. Hell, I still do...but I can't risk it anymore. You're too dangerous for me" he said and I finally got out of his grasp only to turn around and see father making his way towards us.

"Mr. Fitzgerald. May I ask why you are here?" father snapped and I looked at both of them in hatred.

"Don't worry father. He's leaving" I said and began to walk back inside with tears streaming down my face. He had taken money over me. As I walked through the corridors I saw flowers being carried into the private chapel which we were to marry in, there was a cake being taken to dining room for the reception. When I got back to my room Edward was sat waiting on my bed, holding the engagement ring which I had left in the box.

"It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding" I told him and I sat at my dressing table, aimlessly readjusting the curls on my head.

"Well...it seems that our marriage has been doomed for a while. Tell me, have you slept with him?" he asked and I dropped the brush.

"I have no idea what you're talking about" I denied and picked up the brush again.

"I saw Tom and you on the beach a few minutes ago. Damn it, I even heard your conversation. I know what you two did together. I had suspicions ever since he mysteriously vanished. But I want to know have you slept with him?" he asked me again and I shook my head.

"No...I didn't..." I said and turned around on my stool to face him.

"Right. Have you kissed him?" he asked and I nodded. He smirked and stood up. I looked down at the floor as he came over to me and knelt in front of me. He roughly grabbed my chin and forced me to look into his eyes.

"So, you knew you were to marry me but you allowed him to touch you?" he checked and I nodded.

"Oh Katherine...I would call this marriage off if I knew it would make you unhappy but I can see that it wouldn't...no matter...I know plenty of ways to make you miserable" he said and then he kissed me on the lips, but he didn't stop. His hand moved down from my neck to the small of my back as he pressed in it to make me stand up. I struggled against him, but he was too strong. The next thing I felt was my back hitting the wall and him moving his mouth onto my neck.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't take you now" he told me between kisses and I began to sob.

"No...please..." he said and I felt his hand clasp onto my bum.

"But Katherine, that isn't a good enough answer" he said and I felt his hand fiddling with my trousers.

"No...don't..." I sobbed but then someone coughed and Edward turned his gaze onto my father.

"Excuse me Edward. But you are wanted downstairs in the chapel" he said and Edward readjusted his suit and left the room. I leaned against the wall and began to cry.

"Are you alright?" father asked and he shut the door as I fell to the floor.

"No...I don't want this..." I sobbed and father looked around uncomfortably. Maybe he had a little bit of a conscience.

"I didn't realise that he would do that to you..." father said and I shrugged. Of course he was going to sleep with me. We were to be married.

"Ah Hans..." came a deep voice from the door and I turned around to see a man who made me smile a little.


	13. Chapter 13

"If I were you Hans...I wouldn't have let that scumbag anywhere near my daughter but it seems you really couldn't care about her" the man said to my father who I could have sworn turned purple.

"I thought I had killed you" father said as he offered me a hand to stand up. I took father's hand and kept on staring at the man in the doorway.

"Correction Hans. You shot me...fortunately the bullet didn't kill me" he told father who removed his gun from his pocket.

"Well...we will have to correct this Mr. McClane" father said and McClane smiled. He still looked the same, tall and bald and in really good shape.

"Hans I have been waiting two years to get back at you. Tracking you down was difficult, apparently you don't exist anywhere these days. But I knew you were out in the world somewhere. Then I decided to track your daughter down here, it wasn't that difficult. Apparently boarding schools keep a lot of information about their pupils" McClane told father, who was smirking. Father raised his gun at McClane who himself was holding a gun.

"I hear you're getting married today" McClane said and I turned my gaze onto him and nodded.

"Mr. Schnifer...what is he, like forty?" McClane asked me.

"Thirty eight" I replied and he made a disgusted face.

"Surely Hans this is some kind of joke. Giving your only daughter away to someone double her age and plus two is just sick" McClane told father who made his gun click. I grabbed onto father's arm which contained the gun and he looked at me.

"Don't shoot him...please don't kill anyone else" I begged him and McClane began to chuckle.

"Whoa. For some strange reason she cares about you still. She's either stupid or crazy" McClane said but I ignored him and continued staring at father. Eventually he did lower his gun and then he turned his attention onto McClane.

"I want you to take her..." he told McClane and I looked up at him in confusion.

"What?" I asked him and McClane pulled out a cigarette.

"What do you mean 'take her'?" McClane asked him and father sighed in annoyance.

"I want you to take her back to America...anywhere, as long as it is away from here" Hans told him and McClane stared at him in an attempt to discover if he was being serious or not.

"But...she's supposed to be marrying that Edward guy..." McClane said and father frantically ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't want her to marry him if he is going to rape her like he tried to just now...McClane, I will not beg you to do this, I am not that type of man, but I will ask you" father said and I looked up at him. He wanted me to leave all this.

"Why the sudden change of heart Hans?" McClane asked him.

"Yes Hans. Why the sudden change in heart?" Edward's voice came from the door and he leaned against the doorframe in a casual manner, his gun in his hand at his side.

"I saw how you hurt her...it's not right" father said and McClane stood there looking from father to Edward as if it were a tennis match.

"I don't think you are in a position to tell me what is right and what is wrong Hans. After all, you were the one who decided to give your daughter to me" he said and father sighed.

"I know..." he trailed off.

"Now. I want no more talk of this. There is supposed to be a wedding in another half an hour. So..." Edward trailed off and he shot McClane straight in the chest. Blood splattered out and onto the wall as McClanes body fell to the floor. He then raised his gun and pointed it at father, but I quickly stepped in front of father.

"Please don't kill him Edward. Please don't" I begged.

"Why shouldn't I?" he asked and I felt déjà vu. I had saved his life two years at the Plaza and here I was doing it again.

"Because he is my father...without him then I wouldn't be here about to marry you...please" I begged and he lowered his gun.

"Get your dress and go and change in Hans' room. I'll get this mess cleaned up" Edward said indicating to McClanes limp body and then he begun to leave the room. I quickly pulled my dress and shoes from the wardrobe and began to make my way to my father's room. Father followed me silently and only then when we were inside my room did he speak.

"You saved my life. Again" he said as I went into his en-suite to change into my dress.

"Yeah...well..."I said not wanting to go into it. I changed hastily into the dress and looked at my hair, thinking how much of an eventful day it had been and I wasn't even married. I gave myself another check and walked out of the bathroom.

"Katherine...I know it is too late to change things between us and I know it is possibly my fault that we aren't close..." he trailed off and I snorted.

"Possibly you're fault? Possibly? You sent me to bloody boarding school in a different country to you when I was three. You rarely visited me and then you drop me in the middle of a robbery and tell me I have to marry some German billionaire! Of course it's your fault we're not close!" I yelled and this time he just looked at me.

"And yet you saved my life..." he said and I laughed hysterically.

"More fool me" I murmured and began to leave his room and go downstairs. Father caught up with me and grabbed my arm as I was on a step.

"Thank you Katherine" he said simply and I nodded. He had thanked me for something. I allowed him to take my hand and lead me downstairs.

"Would you really have let McClane take me to America?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yes...I would have...I'm sorry you have to marry him but it seems you have no choice" father said and I nodded as we stood outside the doors to the chapel.


	14. Chapter 14

We were early to the wedding and so we were forced to stay outside of the chapel. I was pacing up and down under the watchful eye of my father and every second that passed dragged on.

"Katherine could you please stop pacing...it's making me nervous" he snapped at me and I stopped.

"Relax...stay cool...it will be alright..." I kept on telling myself in a feeble attempt not to hyperventilate. I could sense father watching me still but then his attention turned to the staircase and he muttered something in German. I turned around to see the bloody face of McClane.

"You're alive!" I gasped in shock. This must be a dream. I had seen him shoot him and he fell...there was blood.

"Yeah...seems these bullet proof vests are not that bad to have" he said and I saw the padding of it from beneath his bloody shirt.

"But there was blood..." I said and he chuckled.

"Special effects...figured it added to the drama. Nothing to say Hans?" he asked father who had sweat dripping down his forehead.

"You really are difficult to bloody kill" father stated.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Does your offer still stand?" McClane asked father who looked at me.

"Yes...it does...if you would please" father said and then I remembered the offer.

"No...I can't go...he'll kill you..." I told father as I put my hands on his shoulders and stared into his eyes.

"You've saved my life twice Katherine. Now I shall save yours" he told me and I shook my head.

"I can't let you" I said and he shook his eyes.

"You will have to" he told me and he nodded at McClane who came and placed an arm around my waist and dragged me from father. As he did the music began to chime up and I began to cry. Every second that passed by was one where I was being pulled away from father who just stood there watching me.

"Miss Gruber...if you would just comply then all would be good" John whispered but I kept staring at father, just in time to see the doors open and Edward come storming out and hitting my father around the jaw. But then he saw me and McClane and left father alone and came running after us. Pulling his gun out of his pocket as he ran.

"Ah crap" McClane moaned and then we both began to run towards the doors of the mansion. Bullets came flying towards us and I screamed in fear as we came to the outdoors. I saw a tonne of cars but had no idea which one was McClanes. I followed him to a blue Mercedes and jumped into it only after he did. The shooting was getting louder and as McClane started the car he pushed my head downwards so that I wasn't visible. Eventually he began to drive through a maze of cars and then we were out of the mansion gates and on the road.

I looked behind in time to see two cars which were following us and I tugged on John's sleeve and motioned behind us.

"Bloody hell...Germans" he moaned and began to speed up.

"Katherine...I need you to do me a favour" he said and I nodded. He pulled out a gun and handed it to me.

"What? Are you crazy? I don't want to kill anyone!" I snapped and he gave me a look which silenced me.

"You don't have to. But what I do want you to do is lean out the window and shoot at the two front tyres of the car behind us." He instructed and I nodded. I opened the window up and stuck my head outside. I lifted the gun up and pointed it at the tyre and shot. I heard a sound of air and laughed, then I did the same for the other tyre and quickly got back into the car.

"That was great! You just have to do the same for the car behind that one" he told me and I nodded. I'd used a gun before when I had done target shooting at boarding school but that was my only practise. Once again I stuck my head out the window and shot the tyres successfully. Once we had finished being trailed I sighed in relief. Maybe father had gotten out...just maybe he had left the mansion before Edward went back to him and finished him off.

"Mr. McClane...is there any chance we can stop somewhere and find me some more clothes. I would like a little daft going into an airport like this...and besides you have blood on your top" I told him and he laughed.

"So I do" he said.

...

We successfully changed and headed to Berlin airport where we bought a cheap ticket to go back to USA. John told me I could stay with him and his family in New York for as long as I wanted. I assured him that I would find a job and be out of his hair as soon as possible. The wait for a flight was long and exceptionally boring. It was night time and our flight was due at twelve. John was napping on the seat next to me but I couldn't sleep. I still had adrenalin running through my blood. It was about nine o'clock when I saw him. He was stood waiting for a boarding gate with a duffel bag over his shoulder. I quickly stood up and ran through the terminal towards him. He was just about to hand over his ticket as I got halfway there.

"Father" I yelled as he disappeared down the tunnel. I barged past the queue and stood at the door to the tunnel.

"Father!" I yelled and this time he did turn around.

"Katherine" I saw his lips whisper and then he began to walk back down the tunnel. Once he was back out into the terminal the woman at the ticket desk told him he had a few minutes until the queue went down and then he would either board or not.

"You're going to Britain?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Why not come to America with us?" I suggested and he shook his head.

"I don't think so...I've never been good to you Katherine and I am sorry for that, I only realise now how horrid I have been to you. You don't deserve to know me" he said and I shook my head.

"But you're my dad" I said. I had never called him dad before. I didn't know where that had come from.

"I've been a crap one. Go with McClane...he will look after you better than I did. Maybe we shall meet again someday Katherine" he said and he pecked me on the cheek.

He turned around and began to walk down the tunnel again. As the doors shut I couldn't help but feel sad, I turned around and walked towards the glass window, watching him board the plane. I stuffed both hands in my pockets but then I felt something, I opened my pocket wider and saw that there was a wad of cash in it. He must have given me it when he pecked me on the cheek. I watched the plane being taxied down the runway until eventually it took off. As I watched I felt a hand on my shoulder and knew that it was McClane. I just stood there watching the other planes on the runway thinking about father.


End file.
